Photo Album
by myboygeorge
Summary: A collection of oneshots that include babies, weddings, promotions and other fun things in the lives of Nick & Renee and Greg & Nadine...R&R
1. Snapshot: Christmas 2006

Nick was having a nightmare. He'd been yanked through his locker at work by an unseen force, much like Alice going through the looking glass, and had landed in Hunter S Thompson's version of Christmas Town. Every where he looked, he found bright neon greens, blood reds, blinding whites, and a light gold dust on all surfaces. The elves were all miniature versions of Greg and Nadine tugging on his hands and shrieking 'Follow us to the Christmas Queen's palace', where he found his beloved Renee decked out in lacy lingerie striped like a candy-cane, wearing three inch red stiletto heels that could impale a man and asking him if he'd been a naughty boy this year.

He woke up drenched in sweat, brushing at his arms and whipping his head around wildly as he tried to slow his breath. When he saw that his sheet were not trimmed like a Santa hat but were the normal hunter green and grey he'd bought, he heaved a sigh of relief and flopped back on the bed. That relief was short lived when his girlfriend burst into the room, giddy as a six-year-old, and leapt onto the bed. She wasn't wearing candy-striped sex clothes but the grin on her face and the Santa earrings swinging at her ears were just as scary.

"Happy Christmas Eve, Nicky," she sang, her head bobbing in time to her words. "Come on, up, up, up, we've got a lot to get done today before Greg and Nadine get here."

"Renee, we already agreed we're doing presents tomorrow, what is the big rush?"

"No, Mister Grinch, we're doing _our_ presents tomorrow; Greg and Nadine are coming over for dinner and exchanging all their presents tonight."

Nick cast a wary glance at Renee. They'd been together ten months and seven days, during which time they'd figured out a lot of each other's squeaks and cranks. Living together for the last four of those had also done wonders to help their relationship along. Nothing, though could have prepared Nick for the fact that Renee's true love in life, aside from him, was Christmas and all things related. The first clue should have been when she'd insisted on recording the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but he'd written that off as too much wine with his sister Marley. Then he'd come home after work on the first of December to see twinkle lights strung up on the front of his house. Two weeks later, he was convinced that she was building an army of snowmen to take over West Desert Drive; no matter where he turned there was a rotund and jolly carrot-nosed figurine.

"You need to calm down honey, it's just Christmas," he said, the words barely out of his mouth before Renee grabbed the pillow behind his head and started beating him playfully with it.

"Out of my house, filthy liar; it's not _just_ Christmas."

"I'm kidding Renee."

"Good. I need you to get up and clean the house top to bottom, and you can start with the bathroom. I'm starting in the kitchen with the baking."

"Are you going to make that marshmallow chocolaty stuff?"

"I don't know." At this, Nick made his puppy dog face, which melted Renee's heart. "Alright, I suppose I could. Bathroom, clean, now."

"Yes, ma'am." Nick kissed her, then went to the bathroom, where Renee knew he'd find the neatly lined up the cleaning products he'd need.

Out in the kitchen, still in her pyjamas Renee had switched on Harry Belafonte's Christmas album and was mixing up a storm. She made up a batch of vegan brownies she knew Nadine would love; the milk chocolate was replaced with extra cocoa since she didn't want to risk giving the baby too much caffeine.

Renee still couldn't believe that Greg and Nadine were having a baby. Well she could _believe_ it, but given that Nadine had been told she'd have problems conceiving the older she got, this little guy was truly going to be a miracle. Renee had gone to the first sonogram reading with Nadine, in case Greg wasn't able to get away from work in time, but he had, and there had been more than a few tears at the _wob-wob-wob _sound of the heartbeat.

Renee knew the whole baby thing made Nick a little nervous; since Greg had told him Renee also wanted a big family, and Renee was always gushing with Nadine about baby things. That little episode had nearly earned Greg a new nostril but thankfully the count remained at two, after Renee made it quite clear she didn't want a baby any time soon, not while she was establishing herself in her field.

Then, all of a sudden, something dark appeared in the uppermost reaches of her vision. The first thought that went through her head was _SPIDER,_ and she let out a horrified scream worthy of Alfred Hitchcock.

"AHHHHHH!"

"Sweet Jesus Renee, just mistletoe."

Gasping for breath, Renee turned around; saw Nick standing three feet behind her, a piece of thin wooden doweling dangling the traditional plant in front of her nose. He lightly bounced it against her forehead before he crossed to her.

"I thought it was another one of Grissom's bad ass mama-jahamba tarantulas like that one you decided to baby-sit when I first moved in."

"Actually, that was the only time I've ever spider-sat for Grissom while he was in San Fransisco with Sara. I told him about her little escape from the tank and he took her to another bug-man friend's the last time."

"Now, he tells me," she muttered, pulling him close for a kiss. She laughed when he boosted her up so that her legs locked around his waist. "I thought mistletoe meant for getting kisses."

"Yeah, but honey, I'm from Texas, and you know what they say about Texas."

Renee grinned, and for a few minutes forgot about cooking.

* * *

By the time Greg and Nadine arrived, the house was filled with the scent of roasting ham and fresh baked cookies. The lights on the tree twinkled and instrumental Christmas tunes flowed softly out of the cleverly hidden speakers.

"All that's missing in here is a fireplace." Greg sipped on the wine he'd brought as they sat around the living room in various stages of digestion.

"Don't worry, we'll fire it up tomorrow at the lake," Nadine told him. "Hey, Renee, is it too soon to carve up that Christmas cake you made?"

"How can you be hungry again already, sweetie?"

"Oh it's not for me," Nadine reassured Greg, patting the tiny bump under her cranberry-coloured sweater. "I'm burning gazillion of calories a day; I have to keep up with the demands of my body."

"Well, I still have breadsticks leftover from dinner, so go nuts. They're on the top shelf of the fridge."

"No, Nadine you stay, I'll get them," Greg offered, hopping up from his relaxed position on the couch.

When Greg went in search of carbs, Nick looked from Nadine to Renee with a look of concern. "Aren't you going a little overboard?"

"I don't think so, no," Nadine interjected. "We asked Renee to be my backup coach, in case I go into labour and Greg's not there."

"Plus it _is_ my niece or nephew, on top of which Nadine has no family here; they're all in South America. So pardon me if I want to give my friend some sisterly support." Renee dropped her voice. "I thought I made it clear I don't want kids yet, Nick. I just turned twenty five."

"Well," Nick began, then realized he had nothing so he instead opted to fill his trap with wine. "How about those presents?"

Renee laughed. "I love you, especially when you get all nervous and stuff."

"I know. Alright, who gets first crack," Nick rubbed his hands gleefully together as Greg came back from the kitchen with his girlfriend's snack.

The next forty minutes were filled with the sounds of paper being ripped and joyful squeals at the discovery of gifts. Some ranged from the sweet – like the baby book Renee had found for Nadine and Greg – to the hilarious – a chemistry set for Greg from Nick, to 'practice' with – and the downright embarrassing – a 'Sex for Dummies' book to Renee from her big brother. After the last box had been opened, Renee smiled as she gathered up her loot and began separating out the tissue paper that could be reused.

"That was a wonderful night. We should do this every year."

"Yeah, I think – oh wait a minute, what's this?" Greg feigned surprise as he pulled a small box from his pocket. "I think Santa forgot to wrap this one up."

Nadine grinned. She should have expected him to pull out some last minute gift for her; he'd done it at her birthday party too. She opened the tiny box prepared to coo at a mother to be pendant or perhaps some earrings she'd seen.

Then she felt her jaw hit the floor as she saw an intricately designed ring, the thin platinum wires laced together in a delicate braid. In the center was a small tasteful diamond in the shape of a starburst.

"Oh my…" she said softly. Then Nadine lifted eyes to see Greg, down on one knee in front of her. "Oh Greg."

"Nadine," he started, then stopped as his emotions got the better of him. "Nadine," he tried again but found himself cut off.

"Yes."

Relieved he didn't have to go through the words he'd so carefully prepared Greg took the ring silently from her hands and slid it onto her finger, not noticing or caring that both of them were in tears. Then they were in each other's arms as Greg pulled her to her feet and brushed one hand over her cheek, the other over her growing tummy.

"I love you."

"And we love you too."

"Way to go Greg," Nick said suddenly, breaking the couple apart with his voice, making them remember they were not alone. Renee had disappeared, then came back with four glasses of champagne.

"I think a toast is in order, and don't worry, Nadine yours is ginger-ale in a champagne flute."

The four of them raised their glasses, the crystal ringing as they clinked.

"Let's see, two first Christmases together, a baby on the way and now a wedding to plan." Renee grinned, drank deeply. "That's what I call a happy holiday."


	2. Snapshot: Nadine's Hormonal Sixth Month

"That was a great idea with the barbecue, Renee."

"Of course it was. It's the end of March and most people don't barbecue until like, you know, summer, but what's the fun in that? Barbecue should be year-round."

Nadine grinned as Renee turned off the tank on her Grill-Master 3000. The two women were standing in Renee and Nick's backyard, the sun setting behind them. They'd just thrown the first baby shower for Nadine, and in Renee's mind, it had been a huge success. "Everyone likes barbecue, Nadine. Plus it gave the illusion to the men that this was not a hen party. It was simply a backyard gathering, where we were giving you and Greg presents for the baby."

"Call me hormonal, but that sounds like a baby shower to me," Nadine replied, pressing a hand to the underside of her belly as she peered closer at the propane tank. At six and a half months pregnant, mobility was becoming a bit of an issue but Nadine handled it as best as she could. "Why did we even invite the men from the lab again? All they did was stand around talking about work."

"They're Greg's friends, and they care about you."

"Uh-huh."

"Plus I threatened Nick with no sex for a month if he didn't get them to show."

"There it is," Nadine laughed as Renee stood up and they went inside to finish cleaning things up, now that the last of their guests had left. Nadine lowered herself into a chair as Renee puttered around in the kitchen, tidying up food and nibbling on leftovers.

"Seriously, I think they just want to know that you're doing okay after everything that's happened in the last little while, you know, Greg being assaulted and the dropping of the lawsuit from the fanny-smacking incident."

"Well we are, thank God. You're an amazing counsellor, Renee, you really are, and as much as I'm sure Greg felt weirded out going to his little sister so his head could be screwed on straight, I know it helped him."

"Yeah, so now we can focus on the good things, like the baby. Have you found out the sex yet?" Renee asked over her shoulder

"No, we want to be surprised. It's old fashioned I know, but we like to be surprised like that, since I never thought I'd get pregnant."

"Well you'll be a great mother. Want some tea?"

Nadine arched an eyebrow. "For someone who doesn't want kids, you're being awful mother-hen with me."

"I never said I don't want kids, I just don't want them right now. Having kids means no popping off to Reno for an out of town weekend at the last minute or R-rated movies on cinema night, or you know…sex on the kitchen table if we like." Renee howled with laughter as she saw Nadine scoot her chair away from the stained oak slab. "That's just a for instance, Nadine, it never happened."

"I'm sure it didn't," was the murmured non-believing response from Nadine, noticing how Renee coloured a bit as she'd said it. "Well, Greg and I never tried that so I know we won't miss it much. The bathtub, though, that I will miss."

"Bathtub, you say?"

"Think of it like a sleeping bag meets a Jacuzzi. Greg would call me his Playboy Mer-Mate of the Month," Nadine smiled as she accepted a mug of hot green tea from Renee, then went deathly quiet.

"What is it?"

"No, it's silly. I was just thinking of how my body is going to change so much, and Greg always calls me his…sexy French goddess," she finished in a rush, forgetting a moment the woman she was spilling her heart out to was, in fact, Greg's sister. "And he still has all his semi-pornographic music magazines."

"Ah, well, that's just Greg; he drools over anything with breasts."

"And a flat stomach, which as I told him, is on hiatus as of right now."

"Now that is the hormones talking, sweetie," Renee told her future sister-in-law. Grabbing her own cup of tea, Renee pulled up the chair across from Nadine and grabbed a small green bottle out of her purse while lifting Nadine's feet into her lap. "Your brain is on overload. You need one of my famous foot massages."

"Oh really…oh my sweet lord above," Nadine moaned as Renee rubbed the cooling aloe gel over the arch of her foot, "that is better than chocolate."

"Most people say they're better than sex."

"Not possible, especially when you've got super charged pregnancy hormones rushing through your body. All I can think about is sex, night and day, twenty four seven."

"Really?"

"Let's just say that the book Greg gave you at Christmas, the Sex for Dummies, well we kinda took a few of those moves for a test drive." Nadine turned so red for a split second Renee thought her face might implode. Then Nadine's nerves were instantly soothed, for Renee had let out a long and loud laugh and was wiping tears from her eyes.

"So long as you tell me you didn't try that thing from chapter nine with the-"

"Bananas?" Nadine finished off, enjoying the slight look of horror on Renee's face.

"Oh no. Just…oh no."

"I take it you found out they're a good additive in those aphrodisiac fruit shakes," Nadine said smoothly, a perfectly calm look on her face that last for about two seconds before both women burst out laughing. "What did you think I meant?"

"Nevermind."

"Perverted child."

"Pregnant ho."

This set off a fresh round of laughing, so much so that neither woman saw their lovers walk in through the front door. Nick and Greg exchanged a look between them that seemed to say, _who gets the net and who fetches the wagon_; it ended in a quick Rock-Paper-Scissors to see who would ask the question.

"Ladies, what is so funny?" Nick ventured, wandering over to kiss Renee and give Nadine's tummy a rub.

"Renee, could you remind your boyfriend I am not a Buddha and I will in fact bite his fingers off at the knuckle if he keeps doing that?"

Sensing the tone in Nadine's voice, Greg leapt in to switch the subject. "We've finished loading the presents into the car. Do you want to go home and take a nap before we head out?"

"Yeah, probably a good idea."

Greg pulled Nadine to her feet, wrapped an arm around her waist. "We're going to San Gabriel for the weekend, Mom is having another shower for her," he explained to his sister, "and before you say it, she knows you have a last-minute court date; she will have one there where you can attend after the baby's born."

They said their good-byes, and try as she did, Nadine could not snap out of her funk. When they got home, Nadine was ready to kill him, but Greg took no notice of her apparent distress.

"You go stretch out, sweetheart; I'm just going to catch up on my reading." Greg had pulled one of his magazines from a stack on the coffee table and flopped down on the couch.

"Of course you are," she muttered, stomping into the bedroom, not noticing that Greg had gotten up and followed her. She ran full into him when she turned around to slam the door shut. "What do you want?"

"To know why you're so pissed off, all of a sudden."

"I'm not pissed off."

"Honey, I know that look, yes you are."

"Don't call me honey," Nadine snapped, yanking her sweater over her head. She caught sight of herself briefly in the mirror. It was official, she was a fatty; her pregnant belly was poking out farther than her boobs. Then maybe because of the hormones or the sight of her changing body, she burst into tears.

At a loss, the best answer Greg could come up with was to cross over to Nadine and wraps his arms around her shoulders from behind. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fat," she wailed, "I'm fat and hideous and not sexy, and the other girls are!"

"What other girls?"

"In your magazines! They've got twenty-three inch waists and double-D knockers and…and I don't!"

"Au contraire, sweet pea," he said, cradling her breasts in his hands. "Your knockers are perfect, like grapefruits."

"But my belly looks like a watermelon! Who wants to make love to a watermelon?"

"Is that what this is about?"

Nadine shoved her way out of his grip, wheeled on him. "Of course it is you moron! I've never been more insecure about my looks in my life and you're drooling over your big-breasted bimbos in _Stuff_ and _FHM_, when I'm action-packed with hormones right here in front of you!"

"I know you are, Nadine."

"Then why haven't you touched me since my doctor's appointment last week?"

"Because I'm scared to!"

That one had Nadine stopping cold. "What?"

"After seeing it on the sonogram with like, you know hands and feet," Greg tried to explain, "I didn't know if it was a good idea to...you know…"

"Why would you think having sex during a pregnancy is a bad thing, Greg?"

"What if it gets brain damage from the poking and stuff? Or you know, what if it doesn't like being invaded and tries to rip it off?"

Nadine pressed her lips together, knowing it was all over if she laughed at him with that worried look on his face. Instead, she walked over and kissed Greg

"I just thought it was because I'm getting ugly and fat."

"You're not fat, and you're definitely not ugly; you've even got that glowing thing going on."

"Really?"

Relieved the storm had passed Greg pulled Nadine onto the bed, so they were lying on their sides and Greg was stroking a hand over Nadine's tummy. "So, are you sure that it's okay for us to keep up our…bedroom activities?"

"I've never known you to be so coy about sex, Greg."

"Yeah well…it's got ears now, and you don't know if it can hear us or not."

"Well remember, it's also got hands now, so he or she can put them to his head if need be."

"Really?"

"No, you idiot!" Nadine giggled. "God I love you."

Greg smiled back, then started prodding Nadine so she rolled over onto her other side so she was facing away from him.

"What are you doing?"

"Learning to work around the watermelon." Greg slid a hand under her t-shirt, caressed the underside of her breast. "Still feel like having a nap?"

Nadine bit her lip as the hormones began to pick up tempo once again. "Not at all."


	3. Snapshot: Baby 1 Part I

Had anyone told Greg Sanders ten months ago that he'd be engaged, having a child and putting out for a down-payment on a house, he'd have given them the number of his sister's counselling practice. Yet that was what he faced when he woke up on that beautiful afternoon in May. He'd been with Nadine nearly sixteen months; the first six of which had been filled with some of Greg's happiest memories. But then reality had set in, when Nadine had told him about her past boyfriend who'd all but killed her chances of getting pregnant. That fear of being barren had been put to bed two months after that conversation when Nadine discovered she was in fact having a baby. On Christmas Eve, he'd proposed to her, with a ring that was designed after his Nana Olaf's. But plans for the wedding had been postponed until after the baby had been born, so that Nadine wouldn't be doubly stressed, and more importantly, she could fit into the dress she always wanted.

He sat up on the bed, yawning widely before taking a towel into the bathroom for his shower. When he emerged, his skin flushed from the heat of the water, he saw Nadine sitting on the couch reading from one of her nursing texts.

"I'm going to catch a lift with you babe," she called absently. "Tina called and wants me in for observation on a bone marrow transplant."

"Nadine, I thought we talked about this." Greg stopped, walked over to her, not really caring that she was going to be mad at him for dripping on the sofa. "You're on maternity leave; that means not going to the hospital and taking care of no children except ours."

"I'm just watching, okay? I get to sit in the gallery eating chocolate dipped pretzels while making notes."

"Alright. But if you so much as-"

"Greg I can barely bend over to tie my shoes, what makes you think I'm capably of assisting in major surgery?"

By the time he'd dropped her off at the hospital and was walking down the hallway to the locker room, Greg couldn't help but breathe a tiny sigh of relief knowing he wouldn't have to be in the field that night, since Nadine's due date was coming closer. Grissom was having him participate in more seminars – though those were a given, since he was training towards his CSI two specialty of serology – which meant spending time less time in the field, and there was more work that could be done at home so that if and when he needed the break to spend time with Nadine, he could be there with her.

He also knew, of course, that his constantly being there would drive her absolutely bat-shit crazy and she'd insist he was doing everything wrong, then apologize herself to death.

Still, as he pulled his books from his locker and had a brief flash back to high school, he heard his phone ring. He glanced at it briefly, saw Nadine's name flicker on the screen and flipped it open.

"Hey you."

"Hi honey, just letting you know I'm up here in the gallery watching things and making notes, okay?"

"No chocolate-dipped pretzels?"

"No, but I did find something called a Take 5 in the vending machine. It's yummy."

"Alright, well remember our deal. I'm going to be here the whole shift and Renee said she'll come pick you up when you call her."

"Okay, I have to go, Tina's giving me the 'get-your-ass-off-the-phone-and-pay-attention-white-girl' eye."

"Oh and Nadine? I love you."

"Love you too."

Greg hung then, and turned his thoughts back to his books, his head bopping along in time with the music on his iPod. Time seemed to get away from him; the next time he came up for fresh coffee and a change of the play list, he saw his sister had phoned.

_Such a little mother, letting me know my woman is home safe_, he thought absently. Then his thoughts were jump-started when his cell phone rang once again and this time, it came up with Nick's name.

"Hello?"

"Where the hell have you been?"

Startled at the harshness of the Texan's voice, Greg pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it absently, the resumed talking. "What?"

"I'm in the middle of a triple homicide, I'm up to my ass in blood and DNA and God knows what else, and I've got your sister up in my ears going on and on about not paying attention to your god-damn phone. Call…her…back…now!"

The line went dead, making Greg shake his head as he hit the speed dial for Renee's cell phone. She picked it up after one and a half rings.

"Where the hell have you been?"

_Uh-oh_, Greg thought. "You know, you and your boyfriend answered the phone in the exact same way? It's kinda freaky, almost like-"

"Shut up you moron, Nadine's in labour."

Greg's gut turned to ice. "No, she can't be; it's too early."

"Apparently Junior doesn't think so

Greg stood in the middle of the conference room, frozen to the spot. Then suddenly, without warning, he was all but sprinting down the lab hallway for the doors.

_TBC…_


	4. Snapshot: Baby 1 Part II

Nadine lay in the hospital bed, swollen and sweating, as an IV of fluids dripped into her body. She had never felt so embarrassed in her life; passing out in the gallery right as the surgeon made the first incision. The next thing she'd known, she was in a hospital bed hooked up to a bunch of machines, a needle taped to her wrist to help ease the pain of her contractions, and Renee sitting watch over her. Now as she waited for something to drink - Renee had turned into her personal gopher - Nadine couldn't help but feel frustrated. Damn Greg and his sperm for getting her into this! Where in the hell was he, even? He wasn't in the field, which meant he could only be in the lab. But if he was in the lab, why hadn't he answered any of Renee's pages? Where was he?

Before Nadine could begin to freak out, Renee returned with a cup of ice chips and a satisfied smile on her face.

"I called Greg again, honey. He's on his way."

"Good." Overcome with hormones, Nadine turned on her side to face Renee as best as she could. "Can I just say, Renee, I don't know what I'd do without you?"

"Oh, please, honey, I've barely done anything."

"No, you really have done so much. You made me brownies and gave me foot massages and made me dinner when Greg was working and I didn't feel like take out. It means a lot to me, having a friend like you, since I have no real family of my own."

"Now that's not true."

"Yeah it is. Daddy's been dead and gone almost four years; my sister is more concerned with her own children and husband, and my mother barely speaks to me. You know, she actually told me that she wouldn't fly out here to see me until I was married, and wouldn't acknowledge a bastard grandchild? That's what she called my baby, Renee! I am on my own."

"Stop it Nadine," Renee said sharply, not to curb the self-pity she knew was perfectly acceptable for a woman in labour, but to ward off her own tears. "You've got my brother who loves you, you've got Warrick and Catherine who offer Greg support so he can be with you, you've got my parents, and trust me I am more than willing to share my mother with you. And you're also forgetting that you've got me and Nick. We'll be there to help you move, and to baby-sit if you want a night alone with Greg, and to spoil this niece or nephew rotten."

"Oh, Renee, you're the best sister ever," Nadine started, her voice cracking. "I mean it."

"Please stop, you're going to make me cry. So, um," Renee said, hoping to switch the conversation to a lighter, "have you picked out names or anything like that?"

"A little bit. Greg's been adamant that if we have a girl, there is some form of your mother's name in there."

"Yeah, he's been practicing saying it at work, from time to time. 'This is my daughter Sonya'. It's actually kind of cute."

"Haha, that sounds- oh God, here comes another one."

Nadine flailed for Renee's hand; her breath was coming in snatches as she tried to keep her mind focused on pushing through the pain. She flopped back onto her pillow; face drenched with sweat and chest heaving, as Renee grabbed a damp cloth and patted her down.

"Where is he, Renee?"

The misery in her friend's voice nearly had Renee in tears. Instead of weeping, she gripped her hand tightly. "He'll be here."

As if on cue, Greg rushed into the room. "I'm here."

All the pain Nadine was feeling was momentarily gone, as she prepared to fix Greg's wagon. "Where have you been, Gregory?"

"At work, I didn't hear my phone ringing-"

"Why? Didn't you have it with you?"

"Yes, but-"

"Was it turned off?"

"Of course not-"

"Then why have I been lying here for the last six and a half hours with your sister holding my hand instead of you? I swear to God, I could just drop you with a deer rifle right now!" Nadine seethed. "I am trying to get a person out of my body which _you_ helped make and you can't even be bothered to show up for it? What if I'd already had the baby, what if you'd been in the lab and had missed it? What-"

She was cut off yet again when another contraction hit, this one the worst yet. Nadine tried to remember her breathing but to no avail. She began to cry in earnest, big fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh, God. Greg? Greg?"

"Right here, baby." Greg had pulled up the chair so he sat beside her holding onto her hand tightly. Beads of sweat began to pop out on his forehead as she squeezed like a python, but that was nothing compared to hearing the despair in her voice.

"I didn't mean it, Greg. I can't do this alone. Please don't leave me!"

"Of course not, sweetie." Greg kissed the back of her hand, watching as the worst of her pain ebbed. "I love you so much, Nadine."

Nadine's doctor came in then, causing Renee to step out so they had privacy for a quick exam. "Six and a half hours in, only two centimetres dilated, hon. Still awhile to go."

Nadine nodded, and then looked at Greg. "Stay with me?"

"Where else would I be?"

* * *

Time seemed to crawl by, thick and gooey as maple syrup. Renee had curled up on one of the hideous couches, fleetingly thinking that this must have been something what it was like for Nick when she was in the hospital fifteen months before. She didn't even notice she'd fallen asleep until she felt a gentle hand shaking her shoulder. 

"Go away."

"I come from the east, bearing a Starbucks hazelnut latte."

"Nick?" The figure came into focus as Renee heard Nick's voice. "What are you doing here? What time is it?"

"About noon. Grissom cut me loose to find out about Greg and the baby. The rest of the crew is coming down before shift tonight. What's the word?"

"They took her down to delivery about two hours ago, I guess. She was at ten centimetres but the baby hadn't started to crown so they wanted to take her down and just…do their medical things with her."

Just then, a slim black woman Nick recognized as Warrick's wife Tina appeared in the door and cleared her throat.

"Doctor Sanders?"

"Yes? Is everything okay with Nadine and the baby?"

"They're absolutely fine. Nadine is in recovery and we took your brother up to the nursery with his baby. I'll escort you up and then take you to Nadine's room."

Renee and Nick nearly broke land speed records getting there, and came to a screeching halt when they saw Greg behind the glass partition of the nursery holding a squalling bundle of white blankets. Near the crook of his elbow was a doll-like face scrunched into a tiny wail, so much so eye colour was indeterminate. From under a candy-pink hat there was a sprinkling of mink brown hair identical in colour to Greg's.

"It's a girl." Renee sniffled a little. "I'm an aunt, and I have a niece."

"Gregg-o's a daddy?"

Both Nick and Renee turned to see Warrick and Catherine standing behind them, the tall black man with a fern-like plant in his hands and Catherine holding a large tangerine teddy bear.

"Yeah, he is, come look."

The two new additions to the nursery's gallery ranged themselves on either side of Nick and Renee as they watched Greg hold his daughter. When he looked up, a mile-wide grin on his face, he mouthed, _she's perfect, just perfect_. One chubby pink fist had worked its way free of its swaddling and was flexing long piano-player fingers in the air. Greg's hand immediately hovered over and the baby girl wrapped her plump digits around his index finger.

On the other side of the glass, Renee had long given up the pretext of silent dignified weeping and was openly crying now with Catherine who'd felt the memories of giving birth to her own daughter come rushing back.

"Look at him. You'd never guess that was his first child," Catherine breathed, fishing tissues from her purse and passing them to Renee. "He's a natural. Oh wait, he's coming out now, come on, Renee let's try and keep it together."

But it was not to be, for as soon as Greg emerged from the room and had shed his surgical gown, he took one look at his friends and sister, and immediately rushed over to embrace them as his own tears began to fall. Even the guys had choked up some, as their normal fluid voices were stilted and throaty.

"Greg, man, we are so proud of you," Nick managed.

"That's my girl in there. My girl," Greg repeated shakily. "My little Soniette."

This was enough to elicit a fresh round of tears from Renee. "Oh, Mom will be so happy."

"Nadja Soniette Sanders. My daughter. Hi I'm Greg, this is my wife Nadine and our daughter Soniette," he said to no one in particular. "Have you been to see Nadine yet?"

"No, not yet. We're waiting for you, Dad." Renee gave her brother a watery smile.

A tall German-looking nurse approached them with a bassinette and a broad smile on her face. "Hi, Greg."

"Oh, hi Verena. Are you taking my girl up to her mama?"

"Yeah, I thought I'd drop in and say hi." Verena looked around at the crowd of people. "I can only let all of you in at once if you promise to not make a lot of noise."

The group followed Greg and the nurse like they were royalty back to Nadine's room, where Greg went over and placed a kiss on his sleeping beauty's forehead, gently waking her.

"We have visitors."

Nadine looked around bewildered. "What are you all doing here?" she asked as Verena passed her daughter to her.

"We came to visit Greg and his girls," Warrick said simply as he put the plant by the window, then pulled up the seat of honour next to Nadine's elbow. "Oh she's a keeper, this one. We all chipped in and got her a little something." He brushed a gentle hand over Soniette's brow and passed a small bag to Greg.

Greg tore into the present, and laughed at the tiny T-shirt. "CSI-in-Training? Did you give this same shirt to me to wear in the lab?"

"Yeah, same size too, I think."

"The teddy bear is from Sara and I. Greg said you liked orange, and I figured everyone could use a teddy bear," Catherine added, gesturing to her gift, then lifted an eyebrow as Nadine began to cry softly. "Hey, are you okay, Nadine?"

"I just…this means so much to me, that you'd do this for my family," Nadine replied.

"Well, we're your family too, you know, Nadine," Warrick shrugged. "You're going to be Greg's wife and trust me, you wouldn't have lasted this long if you couldn't handle us."

As they grouped together for pictures and all took turns holding the baby, Nadine realized he was right. They were loud, noisy, they didn't always agree, but in the end, they were there with nothign but love and support for her. She did have a family.


	5. Snapshot: Summer Vacation 2007

"Come on, tell me."

"No, Greg."

"Who was this mystery woman?"

"Greg, seriously I'm not telling you anything. Especially not at work, where other people would hear and pass it back to Renee."

Nick was tired and sweaty – July had not been kind to Las Vegas – and desperately trying to shake the younger man from his tracks as he worked his way around the torched Lincoln in the CSI garage, looking for evidence that could be processed.

"Why won't you say anything?"

"Greg, we have a car in front of us that is a major piece of evidence in a double homicide, do you think we could keep our minds on it?"

"Can I at least see her? I think as Renee's older brother, I should be entitled to see what you're giving up my sister for."

That one had Nick stopping cold. "Her? You think I'm seeing another woman?"

"Yeah, you know, _Anastasia_, the one you had a date with last Saturday afternoon. I heard the message she left."

Nick swallowed deeply. He hadn't wanted to get into it with anyone until it was done, but now he was left with no choice. "That would be Anastasia Bellerose, my jeweller, who I also might add is in a long term relationship with her girlfriend Katrina."

"Jeweller?"

"Yeah." After looking around to make sure no one would hear him, Nick walked around the hood of the car and pulled a piece of paper from his jeans pocket. "She helped me design Renee's ring."

Greg stared blankly. "What now?"

"Her engagement ring, you idiot, take a look. I wanted her to have something unique. My _appointment_ with Anastasia was to pick it up on Saturday before Renee and I leave for Iowa."

"And you're giving her that in Iowa?"

"Yeah." Giddy as a schoolboy and just as nervous now, Nick stuffed the paper back into his pocket. "My sister Riana invited us up to her farm for part of our vacation time, which just happens to be outside of Dyersville."

Greg looked at his friend like he'd lost his damn mind. "What the hell does that mean to me?"

"Dyersville Iowa is the place where they filmed _Field of Dreams_, Renee's favourite movie. I'm giving her that ring at home plate of the Field of Dreams baseball diamond."

"You're serious."

"Greg, that ring cost me about two months worth of salary. Of course I'm serious."

Greg stood there for about two seconds before embracing Nick tightly in what he hoped passed for a manly brotherly hug. "That's awesome dude."

"Yeah, now if I can just remember to not freeze like the last time I wanted to, I'll be fine."

"Whoa, whoa, the last time?"

"Yeah, I was going to ask her on the Fourth of July, but it was just…it didn't….well the idea of proposing with fireworks in the background, not too classy. This is much better."

"Yes, why say 'Please be mine forever' in glittering explosives when you can do it in the middle of a cornfield?"

"Shut up and get back to work."

* * *

Renee could sense something was up. It had just started now, within the last half of an hour. They'd had a great time visiting with Nick's sister and her husband and doing the farmer's marktet that morning in town, but now... She couldn't tell exactly what, but she could tell when after dinner with Riana and Shawn when Nick pointedly turned down cherry cheesecake. Her man never turned down cheesecake, especially cherry. Instead, he'd told her he had a surprise for her and proceeded to blindfold her with a kitchen towel before she even got in the car. Now, as they were slowing down in the country, Renee could tell by the amount of crickets, she merely sat patiently and waited to be helped out of the car.

"You know," she began as Nick took her hand and guided her forward, "If you're thinking outdoors sex, you're going to be mightily disappointed."

"I'm all for experimentation honey, but I think this surprise hits a little less on the loins, closer to the heart."

He removed the blindfold then, and as Renee opened her eyes, she felt her mouth drop open in shock.

"Oh, my God, Nick! Do you know what this place is? It's the Field of Dreams, baby!" she shrieked in delight as she spun in a wide circle. He'd walked her out to the home plate so she was standing in the batter's box. Beyond the edges of the field were the clapboard white farmhouse and the signature cornfields where the disgraced Chicago Black Sox had emerged from in cinematic wizardry. For Renee it was too much. She bounded over to Nick, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Thank you so much, this is beautiful."

"Well, I didn't think we could come to Iowa and not visit this piece of cinematic history. You've have my head on a platter." Knowing the moment had arrived, Nick reached into his pocket with a not-quite steady head. "How about a quick pitch or two?"

"Oh, honey, but Riana's expecting us back soon."

"It won't take long. Here, catch." So saying, he lobbed the custom-designed box, which looked like a baseball, into Renee's waiting hands.

Renee caught it, felt the edges. It wasn't a real baseball, but a jeweller's box designed to look like one. Intrigued she opened it and for the second time that night, her heart did a double bounce.

Inside was a diamond ring, with a centre emerald-cut stone hugged by two princess cuts all on a platinum band. She stared at it, and then looked up at Nick with open mouthed wonderment as the tears began to fill in her eyes. Before he could say a word, Renee launched herself into his arms, showering kisses on his face, as the waterworks began to crank up.

Nick wrapped his arms around her, his voice shaky. "I had a little speech prepared."

"Oh we both know neither of us could have lasted through it."

"Renee, I have never met anyone like you in my entire life. You make me tow the line without even realizing you do, you have nothing but compassion for the kids you work with, and you keep everyone around you on their toes." Nick took the ring from her then, and taking her hand ever so gently, slid the band onto her finger. He fought as hard as he could, but one tear still managed to sneak it way past his guard. "I got into science and forensics because I like puzzles, and I love you because you are a constant puzzle to me. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you, trying to figure it out. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," Renee whispered, afraid her graceful tears might turn into full on joyful wailing. Instead she opted for an elated shriek. "Oh my god, yes!"

They kissed then, each full of nothing but pure love and joy, and as Nick picked Renee up, swung her around in his arms, they made a single silhouette against the mid-west sunset.


	6. Snapshot: Why You Only Rent Tequila

A/N Sorry it's taken so long for an update...stuff happens, anyways, enjoy

* * *

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No, no, no, and did I mention, no?"

"Gregory, we promised your sister we'd go out and act like people with real lives for once."

Greg stood in the middle of Sonny's room, holding his daughter in his arms as she sucked away on her dinnertime bottle and staring his fiancé down. It had been a long day in court; all Greg had wanted to do was come home to spend some quality time with his beautiful baby while Renee and Nadine took in an early movie and late dinner so Nadine could have some time outside of the house. And then maybe she'd come home, all giddy and juiced up from a girly movie and want to put the moves on him. They so rarely got those moments with a four-month old infant in the house, and even when they did, they were often interrupted by Sonny's fretful whimpers over the baby monitor. Thus the idea of a real night of loving with his woman sounded like heaven.

That little fantasy went right out the window when Nadine met him at the door, Sonny on her hip, and a reminder that they were going out to dinner with Nick and Renee, all four of them together.

"Gregory? Are you listening?"

"Yes, and stop calling me Gregory." Greg took Sonny's empty bottle from her, turned her into his shoulder so he could pat her back. "You can go out with my sister and her fiancé; I want to spend some time with Sonny. I've been pulling some overtime, and I've barely gotten to see her all week."

"I've already called Tina's niece, she's on her way over to baby-sit."

"Well cancel."

Nadine simply marched over and plucked the baby out of Greg's arms and continued to burp her child. Sometimes it still amazed her that such a precious thing had come from her body, that she and Greg had created this little life. But this was not the time for parental amazement; it was time for kicking Greg's ass. She sauntered over to him, kissed him in a light teasing way.

"If you don't, I'll cut you off."

Greg paled. "For how long?"

"Until the next time all of us can go out to dinner."

Knowing he was beat, Greg ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. But stop using that as a threat, otherwise, I know you won't mean it when you say no nookie."

Nadine grinned evilly as she put the baby in her crib. "I meant coffee, Greg."

"Bitch," Greg gasped in horror, "that's not mean, that's a sin against God."

"Hey, it worked didn't it?"

Once they'd arrived at the Mexican restaurant, the sadness of leaving his baby girl home ebbed when discovered that not only was Nick looking as worn out as Greg felt but there was also half a bottle of tequila on the table and three shot glasses. One look at the slightly too-wide grin on his sister's face said she was well on her way to Margarita-Ville as they sat down in the booth.

"Hey Gregg-o," Renee said with a giggle.

"Hi Renee. Having a fun night so far?"

"Yes, yes I am. I worked hard, and I play hard." Renee poured another round and nudged a shot glass to her brother. "Cheers."

"Okay the last time I saw you drink tequila was…never, what gives?"

Nick picked up his shot and grinned just as broadly as Renee. "Tell him, babe."

"I've been promoted to assistant supervising day counsellor of my department."

"That's great Renee."

The three of them clinked glasses – Nadine politely declined since she was still breastfeeding – as the waiter came over and took their orders for food and more tequila. When their meals arrived, the second bottle of tequila was half gone and Greg dove into his enchiladas with the gusto of a man marooned on an island eating his first civilized meal again. Drink and food were consumed in equal measure with conversation, but on the other side of the table, as she polished off her quesadilla Renee was once again giggling quietly.

"What's so funny?" Greg asked.

"Nothing, it's nothing. Just thinking about the first time we went to Mexico. But I don't think that I had nearly as much fun as Greg did."

As Greg began to choke on his enchilada, he thumped himself in the chest and glared at his sister. "Renee, I swear to God, don't."

"Don't what?"

"Just…don't. It's way too embarrassing."

"Oh I think we all have to hear it now, Greg," Nick teased his friend. "What happened?"

"The first time we went to Mexico, I tried Mexican food, and my brother tried a Mexican prostitute named Rocia."

Greg choked on his shot of tequila, went red as his salsa as Nadine thumped him on the back.

"Rocia was his first time, too," Renee added proudly.

That one had Nick bursting out laughing. "You're telling me you lost it to a Mexican prostitute named Rocia? Oh man, that…that is just too funny."

"It really, really is."

Greg looked at Nadine. "You think that's funny?"

"Well, honey, I mean…getting caught by your little sister? Not much can top that."

"Oh no, you're right," Greg scoffed before his eyes narrowed. "Except, you know, getting caught by your dad."

This was enough to set the drunken Nick and Renee off again into fits of uncontrollable laughter and Nadine sat scarlet-faced as she slapped jokingly at Greg's arm.

"It wasn't sex, it was just…me and my boyfriend making out in the boat at the lake," Nadine explained.

"And your clothes just happened to have gone missing."

"Yeah, so did Greg's." Renee grabbed the bottle of liquor, carefully pouring it into the glasses.

"Alright, little sister, you wanna start telling secrets?" Greg challenged. "Okay, Nick, ask your fiancé why the shower massager was broken in our bathroom the morning after we went to see _Unfaithful_ at the movies."

Renee gasped dramatically. "I told you I dropped it."

"Are you sure you didn't drop it onto your-"

"I caught Greg reading one of my Danielle Steele books in the Jacuzzi last week," Nadine offered, hoping it would help. She couldn't help but get into the spirit of things, especially now that Greg had moved from getting embarrassed to embarrassing Renee.

"Oh no, that's nothing, Nick read my _Cosmo_ when I was in the hospital when we first started going out."

"It said 'Why Your Body Type Turns Your Man On', so I read it to see if they knew what they were talking about," Nick said, grabbing the ever-popular bottle of tequila and filling everyone's glass.

"Yeah well, you also wore my underwear to work last week."

Not a sound could be heard at the table. Greg looked from Renee to Nick to Nadine, who was just as open-mouthed as him, and back to Nick. "You did what?"

"It was a hot pink thong, too, the one I got when we went shopping Nadine," Renee added, propping her now incredibly heavy head on her hand.

"Okay, I think it's time to get you home, sweetheart." Nick popped out of the booth, pulling Renee by the elbow and keeping his grip on her arm firm to guide her out. "Next time we go out, you are not having anything to drink. In fact, no tequila ever for you again, ever," he added pointing a finger at Renee

"Okay." Renee pointed her finger back in his face in a similar way, then smiled to Greg and Nadine. "Bye-bye you guys."

Greg watched as his co-worker poured his sister into a taxi, before turning back to Nadine. They stared each other down for about four seconds before bursting into wild, uncontrollable laughter. When Greg finally managed to breathe again, he had to wipe at his eyes with the edge of his sleeve.

"Well, that was…um…"

"There will not be a single drop of tequila at our wedding, Greg," Nadine hooted, "and you are not going to say anything to Nick about wearing his girlfriend's underwear to work. He'll beat you to a pulp."

"I know, and believe me, the thought of seeing him in rosy-lace underwear is just…"Greg trailed off on a shiver, "punishment enough."

"What about seeing me in my underwear?" Nadine wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"You mean..."

"That and so much more."

Greg couldn't pay the check fast enough.


	7. Snapshot: Greg and Nadine's Wedding

So I know it's been awhile since i updated this story but real life and other ideas for other stories happened...but i'm back now! enjoy!

* * *

"Do you want a drink?"

"Are you kidding? If I getting anything on this dress I'll cry. Of course, I think I'll cry anyways."

"I'm glad you still decided on a white dress."

"I already have a kid, so the whole ruse of 'virginal' is laughable."

Renee smiled at Nadine in their hotel room, fluffed the veil on her soon-to-be sister-in-law. The big day had finally arrived, with surprisingly less stress than either of them had anticipated. The wedding was not a grand and sumptuous affair, like the one Renee and Nick were planning for themselves in October. It was to be a simple Catholic ceremony on the flag-stone terrace of Chicopee Place, with lots of greens and orange and yellow lilies everywhere. Greg asked Nick and Warrick to serve as ushers; Nadine requested Renee and Sara as bridesmaids. Grissom and Catherine opted to emcee the event and look after Sonny respectively, so as not to be left out of the 'family only' wedding. Now, as she finished adjusting her dress, Nadine blew out a breath and laughed anxiously.

"Ho boy, I can't believe I'm this nervous! I shouldn't be! I've seen him naked more times than I can count, I've had his child. Saying how much I love him in front our friends and family should be a cake walk."

"I think we should have that drink." Renee went to her suitcase and pulled out a bottle of champagne. As she filled the hotel room glasses, Sara stomped into the room in her stocking feet, her shoes in her hands.

"I can't believe you picked this colour, Nadine, I mean tangerine? Seriously?"

"It's my favourite colour, and it looks quite good on you. Champagne?"

"Yes please." Sara accepted the glass, drank as she watched Nadine fasten on tiny orange and crystal drops at her ears. For a moment she wondered what it'd be like to stand there in the mirror and look at herself in the big white cupcake dress before walking down the aisle. "So you ready for this?"

"Yeah, yeah I think I am. I'm terrified he'll see me and run for the door."

"What about your mom, Nadine? Couldn't she make it out from Cayenne?"

"Actually, she and my sister turned down the invitation. She said that since Sonny was born out of wedlock and would be attending the Catholic wedding ceremony, it would be a sin for her to condone it. Still there's always a chance she'll show up just to make things hard."

"If she does show up, I'll take her down. I'm a second-degree brown belt in judo," Renee offered with an evil grin.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Greg's father stuck his head in the room. He'd made the offer to Nadine, since her own father was gone, to walk her down the aisle. She'd agreed happily, excited by the idea that Oliver was presenting his son with the woman of his dreams. He offered a smile identical to his son's as he beckoned to Nadine, Renee and Sara to follow him.

"Ladies, we're ready to go."

Nadine gulped down her champagne and looked at the girls. "Oh my God, this is it!"

"Are you nervous?" Renee asked, passing out the bouquets from the side table.

"I'm terrified. But I'm ready to go."

Out on the terrace of the hotel, Greg was using all his self discipline to not drag at his collar. The day was hot, even hotter than the weekend before when they'd had Sonny's first birthday party, and it didn't help they were on the west side of the building, getting all the lovely heat of a desert afternoon in May. He walked nervously over to the arch where Warrick and Nick were waiting for him. Warrick looked like his ever cool self, not a drop glistening on his brow and Nick, despite being rose-red from the heat also looked dry, causing Greg to become even more flustered.

"Could she have picked a hotter day?" When Nick merely laughed, Greg shot him a withering look. "Laugh all you like, buck-o; you're the next one of us to go up in flames in the monkey suit."

"Calm down man, everything will be fine." Nick would have bitten off his own tongue before admitting the idea of putting himself on display as openly as Greg was about to do scared the living piss out of him. But on the other hand, he also loved Renee just like Greg loved Nadine and knew he wanted to make that promise to her in front of his family and friends.

"Question, why orange? You'd think she'd chose a more girly colour," Warrick asked, fingering the boutonniere on his lapel, hoping to keep his friend and colleague's nerves as calm as possible.

"It's her favourite," Greg began to explain but was cut off when he heard the pianist begin to play the chords of the pianist on the edge of the terrace. "Oh man. I think I'm going to pass out."

"Relax, you've got your notes in your right pocket."

"Right."

Greg watched Catherine carry Sonny down the aisle over the cobblestones of the terrace, smiled and waved at her when she waved a chubby little hand at him. He saw Grissom escort a weeping Sonja down the aisle, whispering to her as they took their seats. He saw his sister coming down the aisle and couldn't help but feel sentimental, for he knew in five months time it would be her walking out in the white dress to the Texan standing beside him. Then came Sara, and for an instant Greg wished he had a camera so he could capture the look on Grissom's face as he watched the long-legged brunette walk down the aisle in tangerine silk.

Then, when everyone stood up and turned to watch Nadine coming down the aisle on his father's arm. She'd designed the dress herself, in a rich snowy white colour with a tangerine sash that went from her breast bone to her navel and trailed into the train of the skirt. Her hair was smoothed back, and then exploded into a million curls at the back of her head, hidden underneath the tulle veil. The nerves he felt were replaced by utter joy as he saw beneath the mile-wide grin to the nerves underneath it.

As they reached the altar where Greg waited, Oliver turned to Nadine and lifted her veil, to place a kiss gently on her cheek.

"Welcome to our family, my dear," he whispered, nearly setting off Nadine's waterworks, but she managed to keep it together. Turning, she offered her hand to Greg, passed her bouquet to Renee and took a deep breath as the priest began his speech.

"Friends, family, we have gathered together today in a celebration of love, to bring together Nadine Pierrette Barton and Gregory Hojem Sanders into this holy union of marriage. Should anyone have a reason why these to should not be joined together, let them speak now." When the congregation remained silent, the priest made the sign of the cross and continued, "We will begin with the recitation of vows which Greg and Nadine have written for themselves."

Taking her cue, Nadine took both of Greg's hands in hers and spoke the words she'd carefully memorized. "In all my life, I never thought I'd be so lucky to find someone like you. You make me laugh when I feel like I want to cry, you make me sing when I think I should scream. You make me so proud at how you've become a great father to our little girl and most of all you love me and all my crazy ways. You're my Indiana Jones, my Superman, my love and most of all, my best friend."

Behind her, Nadine heard female sniffles as she took the ring from Renee's palm and placed it on Greg's finger. "I love you, yesterday, today and for all of my tomorrows."

Greg wiggled his fingers as he also inhaled deeply and began his vow to Nadine. "When I saw you coming down that aisle, all I could think about was our first kiss, how perfectly you fit into my arms, and how familiar it felt, as if it was something we'd done so many times before. The first time I came home to find you waiting there, it felt like it was something you'd done all the time. And when you told me you were having our baby, I couldn't wait to become a father. But none of that compared to the look on your face when I said I wanted you to be my wife. It shouldn't have been such a surprise because right from that first kiss, I knew my heart belonged to you."

Greg turned around to take the ring Nick was holding, smiled a little when he saw that tears were welling up in his eyes. He slid the band of channel-set diamonds onto Nadine's finger, and finished his vow. "I promise you I will be the best husband and father I can be, because I'll have you with me. I love you Nadine."

The priest smiled gently then gestured to the table behind him, where the registry lay, for Nadine Greg Nick and Renee all to sign, then ushered the bride and groom over to a fat white pillar candle and passed them each a taper.

"By bringing together these two flames, Greg and Nadine are each bringing their love, trust and respect into this new step of their lives together, and bringing it as well to the life of their beautiful daughter Sonniette," the priest said as they each used the candle to light the single one. When they set the candles aside into holders, Greg gripped Nadine's hand tightly, smiling when she squeezed back just as hard.

"They have made their promises to each other this afternoon before God and their families and friends, and it is my pleasure to say that by the power bestowed upon me by the State of Nevada that you be pronounced husband and wife."

The priest made the sign of the cross once again, and gestured for Greg to kiss Nadine. He did so with great passion, dipping Nadine slightly which made the guests laugh appreciatively, cheers mixing with whistles. When they came up for air, Nadine pressed her palms to Greg's cheeks and mouthed 'I love you'. Greg mouthed back, 'I love you too' before taking her hand and turning to face everyone, who was by now on their feet. He could see his parents, Catherine holding onto Sonny and trying not to cry and Grissom looking like a proud papa as well as he clapped for them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct pleasure to introduce to you for the first time, Greg and Nadine Sanders."


	8. Snapshot Nick and Renee's Wedding Part I

Hey brothers, lovers and other strangers, I know it's been awhile since I've updated this story and I've started another one in the mean time, but real life kinda happened and plus I didn't have any good ideas for this particular story yet so I waited on it, but now it's finally here! R&R&Enjoy, as always...

* * *

It was a perfect day for a wedding. Not a single cloud dared to mar the perfect blue dome of sky above Las Vegas in the middle of the October afternoon, nor did the stiff breeze flowing through the trees of The Kokopelli Resort carry any whisper of rain. It allowed Nick to breathe a small sigh of relief as he tried to tie his bowtie for what he assumed was the millionth time.

A soft knock on the door had him yelling, "It's open," and he turned when he saw his future – meaning before sunset that day – brother-in-law popping in. Nick turned back to the mirror and struggled with the finicky strip of black silk at his neck. "Greg, you're a geek, how do you tie one of these nooses?"

"I have no idea, I really don't, which is why I brought you this." Greg held up black silk ascot. "It's Hermès, I swiped it off one of Nadine's docs from the hospital."

"You're a saint. How's Sonny doing? Think she can handle walking down the aisle?"

Greg chuckled as he watched Nick swiftly knot the tie as his throat. It wasn't often he'd seen Nick looking so rattled, not even after they'd dug him up out of a Plexiglas coffin wired with C4 in the Nevada desert. Though to be honest, that was probably an cinch compared to the nerves one faced when standing at the altar. Greg looked down at his wedding band, remembering how he thought he'd pass out before the minister got to the end of his spiel; thankfully this time he was only a bystander.

"She's so excited. The last two weeks, when we go anywhere, and I mean anywhere, the dentist, grocery shopping, even buying stamps, she tells everyone she's going to be Aunt Renee's flower girl."

Nick could only shake his head. It was hard to believe that Sonny was almost eighteen months old, walking and talking already. She'd inherited both her parents' love of chatter and would talk about anything on her mind. For a fleeting moment he wondered if when the time came that Nick and Renee had their own children they would inherit their qualities in the same way. But there were more important things at hand, like trying to remember what pocket his vow notes were in, and whether he was supposed to say 'I do' or 'I will' when the minister asked him about taking Renee as his wife.

Since Nick was obviously anxious, Greg slapped a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Notes are in the left inside pocket, it's 'I do' and since you're not getting married in a church, it's totally cool if you kiss the bride with tongue."

The last bit of advice provided Nick with a welcome distraction. "That's so disgusting, man."

"It's true, though. Now let's head downstairs."

While Nick and Greg made their way down to the front of the Bluffs Balcony – so named because it overlooked some of the cliffs of the Grand Canyon – Renee stood in the alcove outside the grand ballroom, checking her make up one last time. Beside her, Nick's sister Riana stood in a radiant rust-coloured dress.

"Are you sure this doesn't make my butt look big?"

"Riana, your butt has never looked better. How about me?" Renee held out her arms as she awaited Riana's inspection.

"You look amazing." The dress was a gorgeous design too, one of Nadine's creation – she'd apparently inherited her grandmother's eye for aesthetic. It was a simple empire waisted silk dress, whose crowning touch was the sleeves; they were made of white chiffon reaching all the way into her train and slit right up to the shoulder to allow maximum mobility. Despite her imploring, Renee had opted not to have a red-edged veil to match her bridesmaids dresses, instead choosing to wear the lovely waterfall of silk that had been Nick's mother's. It was equally special; it was something old and borrowed to go with her new wedding dress and the blue accents on the lingerie she wore beneath the gown.

Renee had been so thankful she'd decided to go with a simple wedding, that there were only a grand total of seven people in the wedding party. She'd always thought she'd wanted a massive wedding with all her best girlfriends up there with her in their matching-colour dresses. Then there'd be even more of a party afterwards. That was before she'd seen the simple and tasteful ceremony that Greg and Nadine had had just five months before. While she still wanted to have the big reception with music and food and dancing until the wee hours of the morning, Renee suddenly realized she only wanted the people she was closest to up there. That meant only having her brother and sister-in-law, and her niece in the wedding party. But that had seemed a little too small, so she'd also asked Riana and her husband Shawn to be in there as well, since it was Riana's farm they'd visited when Nick had proposed to her.

Just then, Nadine appeared with Sonny clutching her fingers with a death-grip. "Little missy here has a message."

Sonny, all dolled up in a dull gold dress to match her mother's, flashed a wickedly dimpled smile. "The min'ster says time to go."

They went to the doors to meet Oliver and Shawn; thankful the frosted glass prevented anyone from getting a sneak peak at her dress. Renee heard the strains of Pachebal's Canon start up, heard the murmurs as Sonny walked up the aisle with Nadine as they scattered silk leaves through the aisle of the church, and the murmurs of anticipation at seeing Riana walk down the aisle with Shawn.

"Did you decide on a honeymoon destination, finally?"

Renee blushed. It had been a snap planning the wedding with Nick. Food, flowers, music, all of that was easily decided upon, but they'd had different ideas as to where they wanted to go for their first weeks as husband and wife. "Yes. We're going to Hawaii. Nick's never been, and I haven't been there in nearly ten years, so we're doing the adventure kick. Surfing, parasailing, scuba diving, snorkelling, with plenty of room in there for sun, sand, and…" Renee stopped, as she'd almost said _sex_ in front of her father. Hhe knew she was a grown woman and that obviously she was no blushing virgin, but still, saying that word in front of your daddy was a little awkward. "Sun, sand, and lots of quality time together. We've both been slammed with work getting things finished to take our three week break."

Oliver swallowed a chuckle. He knew exactly what happened on honeymoons to Hawaii, could understand Renee's backtracking. Fortunately, the musicians started up the piece Renee selected for her bridal march. He took her arm, looped it through his.

"You ready, princess?"

Renee looked at her father. His eyes were brimming with pride and tears. "Daddy-"

"You two make each other so happy, dear," he cut her off. "I'm just being a silly old goat. He's a fine young man and whatever Fate blows your way, you'll have your sails trimmed for it."

"Alright, Ishmael." Renee gripped her father's arm tightly with anticipation as the doors opened and suddenly two hundred eyes were focused on her. _Oh Sweet Jesus, don't fail me now_, she thought as Malcolm Arnold's _Siciliano_ was played by a brass quintet.

Then she saw Nick, standing by the minister, next to her brother, looking like he'd seen an angel. It was all Renee could do not to pick upper her skirts and run down the aisle in her Jimmy Choo pumps to jam the ring on his finger and say the 'I do's.

When Nick saw Renee being escorted down the aisle on her father's arm, his throat slammed shut. She looked so outrageously beautiful, her red hair swept up into a fancy knot at the back of her head, her diamond ring glittering in the afternoon sun on her finger. It was nothing but relief he felt when he saw the sparkle in her eyes was as much nerves as excitement. His mouth split into a smile as Oliver lifted his daughter's arm from his and kissed her cheek. Holding out his hand, Nick took Renee's and clasped it tightly in his as they turned to face the minister.


	9. Snapshot Nick and Renee's Wedding Part 2

Renee couldn't believe it. She was married. She was a married woman now; she was Dr. R.I. Sanders-Stokes. All through dinner she found she was pausing to look at the gorgeous band she wore that now matched her engagement ring – both custom designs – and more than once she caught Nick doing the same thing. She squeezed his hand tightly as the entrees of grilled steak and rumaki were served and felt him squeeze back. They'd decided to let the speeches occur between each course so that everyone would have a chance to digest their food so that by the time the desert was finished along with the final speech, everyone would be ready to party.

Naturally there had been toasts from each of their parents but Nick and Renee had also asked their siblings from the wedding party to make a small speech. Renee watched as Riana stood up to address the room of a hundred people. Her voice, trained from years of commanding a fifth-grade classroom and pee-wee baseball team, carried clearly throughout the room.

"Hi everyone, thanks for being here. I'm Riana Thurman, I'm the groom's sister, and I think I can say with out any doubt that everyone in my family, Tracy, Diana, Aaron, Marley and Abby, is both shocked and impressed that our baby Nicky has finally made the leap. Mom I think this means you owe me twenty bucks."

The entire room roared with good-natured laughter as Nick turned red and murmured to his bride, "I thought she'd forgotten about that, but apparently not."

"I think it's very cute," she murmured back.

"But seriously," Riana continued, adjusting her reading glasses, "when Nick called me and told me his plan of proposal for Renee, I thought two things. First off, who is this girl that her idea of a perfect proposal would be at the Field of Dreams? And second and perhaps more importantly, how has this woman captivated my little brother? When he brought her to the farm in Iowa, I immediately saw a tough and passionate woman who without even realizing it melted my brother into a big puddle of gooey Texan. Someone who would be both physically and mentally capable of handling the pressures that came with his job. Someone who could open him up and get him to talk with barely a word. Someone who will be a perfect match for him through the ups and downs, and the tribulations of life."

Riana lifted a flute of champagne towards her brother and new sister-in-law. "So I raise my glass to the wonder woman of my new sister-in-law, and I wish you many happy years together." The rest of the room followed suit; the _ting, ting, ting_ of touching crystal fluttered through the room.

As the wait staff cleared the plates from dinner, refilled wine decanters, Riana stood up at the podium once again. "And now, I'll turn the mike over to someone with more comedic style and fewer good looks now, the best man of the wedding party, Renee's brother Gregory Sanders."

Nick swallowed deeply. He could only imagine what Greg had planned for his toast. After the wild party that was his bachelor send-off, he knew he had to be prepared for anything. Greg approached the podium, set down his glass of water and sent Riana a saucy wink.

"Thanks Riana. When I first met Nick Stokes, I was twenty five, just like my sister was, only I didn't meet him at the Orpheus and he didn't buy me a couple of drinks," he began, and once again the anecdote was met with a ripple of laughter, "I met him working as a CSI lab tech eight years ago, and very early on, I liked to tease him about his taste in women as so many others did. Nick would laugh it off, but every so often, that romantic side would creep through and the wanting of someone in his life who was special and mattered above all others. When I first found out about my sister being that one for him, I was…well shocked to say the least as my colleagues will tell you."

A hysterical laugh bubbled in Renee's throat, that Greg would deem nearly breaking Nick's teeth with his fist a reaction to being merely 'shocked'. But it died instantly when she heard the shift in Greg's voice.

"Then as she came around more and more, it became very clear that for Nick, there was no other woman. Through car accidents, being held hostage, undercover work, amongst other things, rather then threatening to tear them apart, it only fused that connection and bond which so many people in the world wish they could find." Greg wasn't so surprised that he was choking up; she was his little Gizmo after all. "Renee, Nick I don't need to wish you many years of happiness for the future, because I can already tell that will be there no matter what. To you."

Renee drank her champagne deeply to help stave off the tears she knew were threatening to ruin her makeup and she'd be damned if she'd look like a blubbering, gibbering idiot on her wedding day. Now came the part she'd been terrified of all day: the secondary vows she and Nick were going to recite in front of everyone. They'd opted for traditional Christian vows in the church but still wanted to have their own words as well, so they decided to have personal vows at the reception.

They walked onto the dance floor and, taking a mike from the DJ, Renee breathed deeply. "When we took that trip up to your sister's farm, and you took me to the Field of Dreams baseball diamond, it was one of the most perfect moments of my life. I couldn't believe I had met someone who understood what going to that place would mean to me, and then you made my heart stop when you tossed that funny looking baseball towards me. And I hate to say this, but my brother's right," she said, with a watery laugh, "I don't need to think about the future happiness we'll have together; I know we'll have it."

Renee swiped gently at the single tear as she passed the mike to Nick, her heart brimming over with joy. She'd wanted to keep her speech short and sweet, for she knew she'd have close to a nuclear meltdown if she had to say anymore.

"For so long I was told that I was a ladies' man, that I was too pretty for my own good and I would always be a heartbreaker, and somewhere along the way I started to believe it, started to think that I wouldn't be as lucky as other people in my life who'd found that special person. Then I met you, and it felt like you'd been there all along, you just slid so perfectly into my life, into my heart. And I knew I'd be a damn fool if I let you get away. We've shared a lot of ups and downs together and I know there will be other times like those, but it won't matter, because I'll have you with me, and we'll make it through together because I love you so much." He turned, set the mike down behind him on the DJ's table, then scooped Renee up and kissed her fully on the mouth, spinning her around just as he had when she had shrieked out her answer of 'yes' to his proposal.

Later, when everyone was mingling, drinking and raising holy hell on the dance floor, Renee moved from group to group, making sure she spent a little time with each guest, a smile never leaving her face. Somehow it widened when she reached the table of CSI's; there was Sara and Grissom, deep in discussion about the music being played, Catherine and Lindsey and Catherine's date playing ring-toss with the napkin holders over the floral centrepieces, and even Brass was there along with a dark-haired woman she didn't recognize.

"Thank you all, for being here, it means a lot to Nick."

"It was a lovely ceremony. Who knew that our two biggest flirts would be married men by the end of the year?" Catherine joked. "Where is your hubby, even?"

"Trying to talk Warrick out of another drink so he wont' hit on any of his sisters." Brass lowered his voice. "I overheard a conversation with him on the phone to his wife. Looks like they are going to split after all and Warrick's none too happy about it."

"Well, if anyone can talk to him, it's Nick," Catherine started, then interrupted herself. "Incoming sister-in-law and niece at one o'clock."

Renee turned saw Nadine approaching with Sonny in her arms. The little toddler stretched her arms out for Renee and put her hand to Renee's ear.

"Mama has a surprise for you and Uncle Nick."

"Does she?" Renee looked over at Nadine, who nodded in confirmation. "Well, we better find him."

"Daddy says he's in his room."

"Then to his room we shall go."

Once in the honeymoon suite of the Resort, Renee sat in one of the silk covered chairs, thankful she could sit down out of her Jimmy Choo's. However pretty they were, over twelve hours in heels was bound to do even the most stalwart feet in. She smiled when she saw Nick walk in from the parlour with Greg, who carried four glasses and a bottle of champagne. On her aunt's knee, Sonny was all but vibrating with excitement.

"Can I tell them now?"

Nadine could only laugh. "Yes you can tell them now."

"I'm getting a little brother from Indonesia."

Renee and Nick looked at Greg and Nadine in utter shock. "Seriously? It went through?"

"We just got confirmation from our adoption agency yesterday morning. We've been on the waiting list for nearly five months but we're finally getting a baby," Nadine said tearfully. "His name is Dharma, and he was born about two months ago. We're flying to Indonesia in about six weeks to clear through the red tape, but we'll be flying home with our new baby."

Greg handed his sister and brother-in-law glasses of champagne. "We wanted to tell you in private like this, so that you wouldn't think we were stealing your thunder."

"Can we go dance now?" Sonny asked, patting her hands against Nadine's shoulders.

"Yes."

Nick watched them go, chuckling as Sonny's chatter faded away. "We're babysitting our niece while they go, aren't we?"

"Yes I think we are." Renee stood up, put he feet back into her shoes. "Ready to go, Mr. Stokes?"

"Absolutely Mrs. Stokes."


	10. Snapshot: Crash Test Daddy Part I

_Aloha and bonjour to all my faithful fans and reviewers! After a long hiatus of life, the universe and everything, Photo Album has been restarted once again...As always, comments and constructive criticism are welcome, so sit back, and R&R&Enjoy again!!_

* * *

When Nick dragged himself into the house on Tuesday afternoon, he was ready to whimper in defeat. Hallowe'en had brought out the crazies of Las Vegas in spades, leaving him with case after case after case, not to mention all the old paper work to clear up from old cases that he'd had to put off for his honeymoon to Hawai'i. He'd barely seen Renee in the last week; he only knew of her comings and goings by the fact that she left him little notes on the counter or the fridge or on one occasion, when he actually was weeping in the shower from fatigue, on the bathroom mirror. The times they did have together weren't spent talkign about their days either, not with all the lovely lingerie Renee had been given as bridal shower gifts. By the time they'd finish wrestling, all he wanted to do was pull her close to him and sink into sleep.

And starting tonight, it was only going to get worse: he was getting a crash course in parenthood. Greg and Nadine had left that day for Jakarta to complete their adoption of a three-month old baby boy named Dharma and naturally, Nick and Renee were taking care of Sonny for two weeks. Nick adored spending time with Sonny, no question, but at the end of the day, she went back to her parents. Now he was, for all intents and purposes, the parent for the next fourteen days. During the day, it was fine, she would spend time with her nanny like she already did when Nadine was working days, and he'd be around too if he wasn't sleeping or working a double. But what about at night, when he and Renee were there, on their own with her? Sonny was an active bright kid, she needed lots of attention and energy. She was also only eighteen months old, she probably still was up at points during the night, what would happen if him and Renee were in the middle of an interlude and she climbed out of her crib and opened the door and was scarred for life?

_Get a grip_, he told himself sternly as he opened the front door, _you sound like a soap opera_. He walked inside and her a shriek from the bedroom he instantly knew was Renee's, followed by Sonny's. Immediately his hand went to the gun still holstered on his hip as he raced down the hall and peeked in. He put a hand on his chest in relief when he saw it was simply Renee changing Sonny's diaper and blowing rasperries on her stomach, making her squeal with delight. She adjusted the toddler's clothes and put her on her shoulder, then grinned when she looked up and saw him leaning against the doorframe.

"I didn't know you were home this afternoon," he said, a smile creeping instinctively over his face as she came over and greeted him with a kiss.

"I'm on a break from court. We're reconvening in an hour but Heather-Liy was done at four so I came home to stay Missy here until you were home. Can you take her? I have to get dressed."

It wasn't much of a choice as Renee handed the toddler to Nick, who held onto her in automatic reflex. "So what am I supposed to do with her? I've been at work for like eighteen hours and I thought we'd both be here to look after her. Besides which, I was kinda looking forward to a nice long soak in the tub with you tonight," he said with a flick of the eyebrows, hoping that Renee got the message.

"I know sweetie, but this case is a real mother, and I may be called to the stand again. Don't worry you'll be fine with her," Renee said, removing her sweats and stepping back into her silk suit. Once her pumps were jammed on her feet, she nuzzled Sonny's cheek and kissed her husband, whispering in his ear, "Don't worry, you'll get your hot tub with your hot wife."

She walked out the door, leaving Nick torn between panic for looking after a baby and molten desire for his bride. After a few minutes, he wandered out to the kitchen with Sonny, to the kitchen where he thought he would be able to find something cold to drink for the both of them. "You thirsty there, shorty?"

Sonny grinned and said "Oja."

"What?"

"Oja. Oja, oja."

Not having a clue as to what 'oja' meant, Nick pulled 5 bottles out of the fridge that were clearly labelled for his niece. Lining them up like lab samples, Nick put Sonny in her high chair and pushed her over to the counter. "Okay sunshine, which one?"

"Oja. Like Mummy."

"Oja, like Mummy," Nick muttered. What would Nadine drink that Sonny would too. The only beverage Nadine seemed to drink these days was calcium-enriched orange juice...which she would call OJ. That's what she wanted, he realized, the Oh-Jay, which had gotten lost in her translation. He took the fourth bottle off of the counter, popped the top off, and handed it to her.

"Can we have a bath?"

Nick froze on the spot. "What?"

"Can we have a bath?"

"Uh...sure?"

At this Sonny just giggled and drank her juice from her bottle, chilling Nick to the bone. He'd faced murderers, rapists, thugs, even had a stalker break into his house and been buried alive in the Nevada desert, and none of those made him feel as scared and sick to his stomach as he was when faced with the prospect of giving his niece a bath. He liked kids, absolutely, but not 'creepy-crawlies' or 'nipple-nibblers' as his brother called them; he loved Sonny, no question but he was way out of his depth. And now the tot wanted him to not just give her a bath but also.

He looked at the sheet of emergency numbers and was sorely tempted to call the nanny and ask her what he should do. Instead, he risked his hide and called Renee's cellphone. Court be damned, he had a true emergency on his hands.

"Doctor Sanders-Stokes."

"That is so sexy," Nick purred, hoping he could butter her up. "Listen I have a crisis with Sonny."

"Oh no, what's wrong, is she missing her parents? Did she throw up?"

"She wants me to have a bath with her."


	11. Snapshot: Crash Test Daddy Part II

"What?"

Nick swallowed. He knew that tone of voice in Renee meant she thought he was being ridiculous. "Sonny asked me if we could have a bath later. How...how do I have a bath with a toddler?"

"Oh that's so cute." Just the thought of Nick climbing in the tub with Sonny made Renee go mushy; it was such a daddy-like thing to do. Taking pity on him and the serious lick of panic in his voice, she shifted her phone as she negotiated the intersection into the courthouse parking lot. "Fill the tub up with lukewarm water, and as it's filling, add in the Johnson's Baby-Bubbles. Sonny has already been trained not to pee or poop in the tub so she can leave her diaper off to hop in, but you should throw on some trunks. Oh and when you're washing her hair, use the shampoo in the blue bottle, not the green. The green is for something else entirely. I have to go, I'm parking at the courthouse. I'll be home around eight. Love you."

"Okay thanks honey. Love you too," he added, genuinely grateful his wife hadn't blown him off and knew how to get soothe his anxiety. He turned around and saw that Sonny had nearly finished her juice and was kicking at her chair.

"Let's go, let's go!"

"Go where?"

"In the tub! I'm a mermaid, just like Ariel!"

"How about dinner first?"

"No, tub!"

Nick felt his nerves jelly when her lower lip thrust out and began to quiver. Fortunately, years of CSI training had him thinking on his toes. "Well, even mermaids need to eat so they don't get tired swimming in the ocean."

"Really?"

"Oh sure, they need their seaweed and fish and clams. How do you think Ariel swims so fast?"

As Sonny considered this, Nick opened the fridge once again and looked at its contents. There was a neatly labelled container that said 'Tuesday' on it in Greg's prim handprinting; when he opened it Nick nearly gagged. It smelled of rice and some odd spices that reminded him of the goats on the family farm. He put it back in the fridge and picked the phone up again. "Sonny, how do mermaids like pizza?"

When Renee pulled into the driveway, she rubbed a hand across the back of her neck and let out a groan. Court had been a total snoozefest tonight. She'd been on call for the defense and they hadn't even gotten to her second client. The lawyers had simply decided to tango out their words and waste lots of time bantering back and forth until the judge finally called them on their BS and adjourned court until the following day. And it also looked like it was going to rain, meaning that there was a good chance of power failure through the night. Normally this wouldn't worry her except that the baby monitor rigged up between her and Nick's room and the guest room where Sonny's trundle-bed-crib was stowed ran on electricity and had no battery backup that Renee was aware of.

Still, she had had plenty to keep her occupied, worrying about Nick. They were only married six weeks now, nearly seven and they were facing their first test with Sonny. Not just of their marriage but of the future possibility of children. When Nadine had been pregnant with Sonny, Renee had been absolutely adamant that she make it known to Nick that she didn't want kids right away. It would be interesting to see if she said the same thing after having spent two weeks with their niece in their house, essentially being taken care of like their own child. Nick had already called her in a panic over a bath, she was worrying about the power...wasn't that what parents did? Worry about the big and little things in the universe that would affect their child's well-being? Perhaps then, both of them would change their minds on the kid issue.

Opening the door softly, as she expected her girl and her man to both be in bed, Renee went inside quietly, hanging her coat on the peg beside the door. She slid out of her heels, stripped off her stockings and let the chill of the foyer's ceramic tile wash through her body. She went over to the TV to turn it off, when she looked down and felt her heart stop. Lying there on the couch was Nick, passed out cold. One arm was flung above his head, the other was wrapped around a pyjama'd Sonny, who was equally sound asleep and curled up on his chest. Moving with stealth, Renee tried to pick Sonny up to tuck her in when she realized that not only was Sonny sound asleep but also anchor to Nick: he'd tied the belt of his bathrobe around his niece, making Renee snicker just a little. She gently loosed the knot and put the baby to her shoulder, carried her into bed. Sonny didn't stir a hair, even when Renee tucked her in and gently shut the door part of the way. Before she rejoined Nick, she slipped into their room, changing into some of her new lingerie and put her sweats over top of it. Once she got back to the living room, she carefully slithered her way into Nick's arms and it was only when she kissed his cheek that he finally moved.

"Hey, honey, I didn't hear you come in," he said on a yawn, adding, "Where's Sonny?"

"I put her to bed. Why was she tied to your chest?"

"In case one of us fell asleep, she wouldn't slide off." Nick wrapped his arms around Renee. It felt so good to hold her, even if he was tired as hell. "I know we've only been married a couple of weeks, but I gotta say, the minute you say 'Let's have kids', I'm on board."

This was enough to shock Renee awake. "Really? This from the man who called me in a panic about giving a child a bath."

"I don't know what to do with kids that small. When my nieces and nephews were that age, I was sixteen, chasing girls, then off to college. I didn't see them much until they were walkie-talkies, you know? But man, once we got in the water, she was hilarious. She thought she was a mermaid, and was blowing bubbles, and I taught her how to say 'submarine'."

"Really?"

"Well, it came out more like 'summary' but it's still there. The point is, I didn't realize how attached I'd become to her. And I know we're not ready for our own babies yet, but it's good to know that I won't be a total dunce as a father. That being said..." Nick trailed off as he kissed Renee, his hands sliding over her body, under her clothes. He stopped when he realized that they weren't completely alone.

"I'm sorry, I can't, not with Sonny in the other room."

Renee fumbled for the remote, turned the TV up slightly. "If she asks, we'll say we're watching a grown-up movie," she murmured against his lips as those hands worked wonders on her nerves.

After that night, Nick would never think of _The Little Mermaid_ in quite the same way.


	12. Snapshot: Silver Lining

Renee was awoken in the small hours of the morning by a distant noise reminiscent of thunder. A quick glance at the bedside table's clock told her it was nearly five in the morning, making her flop against the pillows and press a hand to her eyes. Rain, she thought absently. Was it raining out? It hadn't been raining when she'd come home or gone to bed. And oh how she'd wanted to go to bed and sleep, between going to her doctor's appointment and a full day of counselling, followed by a deposition for one of her patient's court dates. Staring at the ceiling, she willed the barrage of noise to go away. Then she realized that the noise wasn't coming from overhead, it was coming from the front door. When the noise didn't disipate after a couple of minutes, Renee rolled out of the bed with a loud groan.

"Come on, babe," she muttered to herself, pulling on Nick's t-shirt from the laundry pile, "you know where the hide-a-key is, why are you getting my sorry ass up?"

But it wasn't her husband beating on the door, as was evident when she opened it. Instead, a distraught Nadine burst into the living room and wrapped her arms around Renee's neck, followed by Greg, looking like someone had cancelled Christmas.

"Nadine, what's wrong?" Renee asked, awkwardly patting her sister-in-law's back. "Where's the kids?"

"Heather-Liy's with them, I was working nights. Oh God, Renee." Nadine burst into unabashed tears.

An oily slick of panic coated Renee's throat, ground in her stomach. Images flashed through her head of a cop car showing up , of Captain Brass and a grief counselor standing there on the doorstep of her home with sorrow and sympathy as lives fell apart. "What's wrong? Greg?" Another wash of panic as she reached for her brother's hand. "Is it Nick?"

"It's Warrick."

Panic turned to confusion. "Warrick? What happened?"

"I was on an ER rotation tonight," Nadine explained as she took off her coat, "and one of the paramedics came in from an officer-involved shooting near Rayson and El Paso Road. He recognized the guy and wanted to tell me in person before I heard through the grapevine. He...he said he was DOS, Renee. Warrick was DOS."

Renee felt the blood drain from her head, as she groped for something to hold her up. Warrick was...no, no it wasn't possible, how could...? And who would have...? "I know he'd been having some problems, but he didn't have the outward signs of suicide contemplation. Nick even texted me around midnight, said they were taking him out for a little bit after everything was sorted out with the whole Gedda debacle. Wouldn't they have seen if he wanted to kill himself?"

"He didn't shoot himself, Renee," Nadine sobbed, pulled her hands through her hair, reliving the hell that had swam through her when the paramedic had taken her into one of the exam rooms and told her that an officer had been killed. "Someone else shot him."

At this, Renee let out a sob. "He...what? What? No. No, no, no."

Letting go of the back of the couch, Greg pulled Renee close to him, hugged her tightly as she cried. Nadine had been right, he realized; after all Warrick was Nick's best friend and at their house as much as he and Nadine were. "We wanted to come and tell you before you had a chance to panic when Nick wasn't home on time and the word might have showed up on the news channels."

"Where is Nick?" she asked in a surprisingly calm voice. "Where is my husband?"

"He's with Grissom. They both wanted to go on the transport of...him," Greg finished lamely, not able to call Warrick 'the body'. He could see the look in Renee's eyes, that she was not going to be okay until she was able to see Nick, and he didn't blame her; hadn't they showed up and made her panic that it might be _her_ man on his way to the morgue? "Why don't I make some coffee?"

"Good idea. Renee, do you have any clothes I could borrow?" Nadine gestured to her scrubs.

Renee nodded, still in a stupor of mixed emotions as she gestured for Nadine to follow her. She was smaller than Nadine, but figured that a pair of pyjama pants from Nick's drawer would be more comfortable for her than trying to squeeze into one of her more feminine nightshirts. As Nadine changed, Renee flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. How the hell could she have been there only ten minutes before and thought that her biggest problem was her husband being locked out of the house? "Is there anything you're not telling me, Nadine? I mean, you'd tell me if Nick was-"

"Oh God yes, of course honey. Greg called Nick in the driveway to let him know we were here to see you."

Renee opened her mouth to speak, then closed it when she heard the front door open and shut, followed by the low murmur of two male voices in the kitchen. Fresh tears began leaking from her eyes as she heard the footsteps coming down the hall, and as she lifted her head, felt her last defence break down as Nick walked into their bedroom, his face heavy with grief, his eyes red.

"Renee," was all he said, all he needed to say, before she was up and holding him tightly against her.

"Sweetheart."

In hearing that single word, Nick felt his body breakdown, the numbness ebb away at Renee's touch. He slumped onto the bed beside her, not even noticing that Nadine had discreetly exited and closed the door behind her. He felt the soft, soothing strokes of her gentle hands rubbing circles on his back, a gesture he knew was meant to comfort. He let his grip on her shirt go a little loose, looked at his wife.

"I can't deal with this yet. I need to shut it off. I just need to turn it off."

"Okay, then we'll shut it off."

When he stripped down to his boxers, slid into bed with her, Renee stroked her hand over his head that he'd rested on her breasts, and tried so very hard not to think about the other life changing news she'd gotten that day, how she'd been so excited to tell him when he'd come home. As she waited for sleep to come, she replayed the words she'd carefully planned to say to him over and over in her mind.

_Nick, I'm pregnant_.


	13. Snapshot: Just the Three of Us

"Is he home yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Okay, call me as soon as you tell him the big news. I want to hear everything."

Renee hung up the phone from Nadine, wishing she could laugh at the eager, knowing excitement in her sister-in-law's voice. Nadine has suspected that Renee's insistence of telling her husband the news first could only mean one thing, that a baby was on the way, and though they both knew Nadine was right, Nadine was considerate enough to not push her about it for 100% confirmation.

Renee sat on the couch in the living room, hoping that her beautiful Texan would walk through the door soon. God, she wanted to tell him so badly; she'd wanted to tell him two weeks before when she first found out. But then Warrick...Warrick had happened and everything had changed. After the discovery that Warrick had a son, Nick had been shaken to the core, and as a shrink, Renee knew that he kept asking himself why his best friend hadn't trusted him enough with this secret. Nadine had apparently noticed the change too, as Nick had barely spent anytime over at their house with Sonny and Dharma. Nick, who loved kids, could barely stand being around his niece and nephew; how could she possibly tell him he was going to be a father?

The wash of lights through the living room window had Renee's throat tightening. He was home now, after an endless night of tossing, turning and vomiting from both anxiety and pregnancy. As she watched him walk in the door, twin vines of love and sadness wormed their way into her heart.

"Hey babe."

Nick's head came up sharply, surprise lighting his eyes. Renee was never home on a Tuesday morning like this. "Hey sweetie. How come you're not at work?"

"I took a personal day. We need to talk."

"Yeah, I think we do."

Nick knew this conversation had been coming for awhile, ever since the case they'd recently closed together where Jeremy Golden, a fifteen year old boy Renee had been counselling, developed a serious crush on her to the point of being a stalker. It had escalated to a breaking point when the boy had taken her hostage in a parking lot and knocked her unconscious before turning the gun on himself. Ever since then, Renee had been leery of cases involving teenage boys - normally her favourite type - and Nick had been able to talk her into seeing her own staff shrink to help build her confidence up. What had complicated the situation for them on a personal level was that they'd decided to try for a baby shortly before she'd taken on the case and both of them had begun to have serious doubts as to whether it was the right timing for them. But now Nick needed to tell her what he'd known the entire time: that he wanted to be a father, watch her body change and grow with a life inside it that came from both of them. Now the hard part was how to tell Renee this without shaking that carefully rebuilt confidence.

Shrugging off his coat and toeing off his shoes, Nick went over to the couch to face his wife. "I know we've been through a lot the last little while, what with the Golden case and then Warrick dying. I know we've been trying for a baby for a couple of months, and...I was starting to wonder if it was a good idea." When Renee said nothing, only continued to stare at him, Nick felt his nerves wobble but he kept going. "Look, I all I'm saying is that stuff really shook me up, but-"

"Nick I'm pregnant," Renee blurted out. There she'd done it; she'd told him. "I found out last week, the day that Warrick died. I'd already taken two pregnancy tests and it came up one negative, one positive, so I went to my doctor's and I am." She watched his face, a frozen mask of shocked silence. After two minutes when he'd still said nothing, Renee stood up and stalked down the hall, slamming the door to their bedroom. She laid down on the bed and done what she'd needed to do since she'd first found out she was having a baby: she cried her eyes out.

She was in mid-sob when she heard the soft _click_ of the door being opened, smelled the after-work smell of him that was sweat and sterile soap from the lab. She didn't bother moving from her prone position and just stared at the bedside clock.

"I knew this would happen," she said softly, knowing her voice would crack at its normal level. "I knew that in spite of how much you talked about still wanting children of your own, that after that case was done, no matter what the outcome, you wouldn't want to have a child."

"Renee-"

"So now, I have no idea what we are going to do, I mean I don't want to have an abortion, and I couldn't bear the thought of giving up this child for adoption, but I can't have a baby knowing that you-"

"Renee," Nick repeated, cutting her off gently, hating that her back was still turned to him. Gently nudging her shoulder, he got her to turn over and felt like the lowest form of poind scum when he saw her eyes, now bright red at the rims, still streaming tears. "I want this child. That's what I was trying to say. Yeah I was having doubts while working on that case, but in spite of all of that, I still want a child because we will love and cherish and protect it, so that nothing like what happened to Jeremy will happen to ours. Obviously, I'm not so good with the words if you thought I was telling you otherwise. Hey, come on now."

He tugged on her hand, pulling her up so she was sitting, and hugged her tightly against him. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too...Daddy."

_Daddy_. The words hit Nick like a bare-knuckle punch that made his face split into a giddy, dumbass grin. He eased back a little, to press his hand to her belly, just under the navel. "How soon?"

"End of July. Greg's going to flip out, even more than me."

Nick kissed her again, this time turning it from comfort to heat. "I know how we can celebrate this momentous occasion."

"Oh yeah?" Renee knew her man well enough to know exactly what that glint in his eye meant. Wasn't how they'd gotten here? "How?"

"Recreate the conception." With that, Nick had her tumbling back to the pillows on a laugh, that turned into a sigh, that turned into the love which had made the little life inside his beautiful girl.


End file.
